1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to wiper blade assemblies for wiping windows of a vehicle, and more particularly to spoilerless flat wiper blade assemblies.
2. Related Art
Wiper blade assemblies for vehicles are intended to maintain uniform contact with a window across their length while oscillating to prevent unwanted streaking from resulting on the window. Complicating matters is the airflow generated over the wiper blade assembly while the vehicle is moving, and while the wiper blade assembly changes its angle of attack relative to the airflow while oscillating. Further complicating matters is the non-uniform surface of the window, such that the wiper blade needs to be able to flex along it length to change its contour during oscillation. As such, in an effort to best prevent unwanted streaks from occurring, numerous types of wiper assemblies have come about, many of which are complicated to manufacture, and thus, tend to be costly.
One mechanism employed to maintain wiper blade assemblies in uniform contact with the window is to incorporate spoilers on the assemblies. Spoilers are intended to create a desired aerodynamic attack of the wiper blade assembly relative to the airflow over the wiper blade assembly, however, this approach is met with certain challenges. In some cases, the spoiler, rather than creating a uniform pressure distribution over the wiper blade assembly, can create unequal high and low relative pressures along an upper surface of the wiper blade assembly, and thus, portions of the assembly tend to lift from the window, thereby causing streaking and/or noise. Further, the addition of spoilers to the wiper blade assemblies adds cost. As such, the challenges of forming a wiper blade assembly that is both aerodynamic throughout various conditions of use and yet low in cost, both in material and in manufacture, remains.